Subterranean Problem In Berks Radioactive Gauge Tossed Out With The Garbage

$250 Fine Is Planned

March 16, 1985|by RANDY KRAFT, The Morning Call

A steel gauge containing a small amount of radioactive material probably is buried beneath 20 or 30 feet of trash and soil at the Christman Landfill near Lenhartsville.

The gauge "inadvertently" was sent to that Berks County landfill nearly a year ago from the James River Corp.'s Dixie Products plant near Easton.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission plans to fine the company $250 for improper disposal of the gauge. "We intend to pay the fine," said Robert Tino, director of Northeast operations for James River.

Despite the low fine, the improper disposal is "of significant concern" to the NRC.

There are no plans to try to recover the C-shaped gauge, which is about 18 inches long and contains a disc of strontium 90 about the size of a quarter. The NRC does not believe the missing gauge poses a health problem, because the radioactive material "is tightly sealed in a stainless steel capsule which will prevent it from leaking.

"The sealed radioactive source is buried under 20 or 30 feet of earth which serves to shield the environment from the radiation it emits."

An NRC spokesman acknowledged the radioactive material would be harmful to someone finding the gauge and managing to take it apart. And he indicated strontium 90 will remain hazardous for many years. The NRC states it is "probable but uncertain" that the gauge was disposed of at the landfill with other trash.

But Tino said James River is "very certain" the gauge went to the landfill, adding "we did a thorough investigation."

Spokesmen for the NRC and state Department of Environmental Resources report their agencies made no attempt to locate the missing gauge.

"We were satisfied with the efforts the company made to try to locate this thing," said NRC spokesman Brian Norris.

NRC says the gauge went to the landfill on or about April 27, 1984. James River realized the gauge had gone to the landfill and tried to find it about four months later.

Tino said the company determined it would be impractical to try to recover the gauge. He said its "short-range" radiation could not be detected with a Geiger counter and indicated it would be impractical to use a metal detector to find it in a landfill.

Tino attributed the improper disposal of the gauge to human error.

In a letter informing the corporation of its proposed enforcement action, Dr. Thomas E. Murley, regional NRC administrator, stated, "Although it is unlikely that the public health and safety would be threatened by this inadvertent disposal of the gauge, the improper disposal is of significant concern to the NRC because it indicates that adequate oversight and control of licensed material was not exercised at your facility."

Tino said the gauge had been in storage at the plant when it was thrown out. He said it was reported to the NRC when discovered missing in August.

But Norris said the NRC did not find out about the missing gauge until October, when it did a spot check of gauges at the James River plant in Forks Township.

Christman landfill has not gotten in trouble with either the NRC or DER because radioactive material was buried there.

"They were unaware this thing had been delivered to them," said Norris.

DER was advised of the missing gauge by the NRC. DER officials feel there is no chance the radioactive material in the buried gauge can get out to harm people or the environment - including the ground water supply.

The NRC says James River also failed to test a radioactive gauge for leakage once every six months, as required by the regulations. The NRC says the gauge in question had not been tested for leakage between September 1982 and last April.

Tino said the gauge not tested was the same one that was found to be missing. He said it had not been tested previously because it was in storage. "We have a procedure now where we don't keep them in storage," Tino said.

The corporation's director explained the gauges are commonly used to measure the thickness of plastic and paper by taking an X-ray-like picture.

He said the plant, which employees 800 people, manufactures disposable plastic products - including plates, cups and bowls. The corporation has an NRC license to use radioactive thickness gauges in certain quality control operations.

An NRC press release does not identify the Christman landfill by name, saying only it is in Lenhartsville. Tino and an employee at the landfill confirmed that was the place where the gauge probably was buried.